Work visa Up to 3 years
The work visa for founders who stand out.
The O-1A is for people with extraordinary ability in business, science or technology — and the US company you founded can file it. No lottery, no cap. We map your record to the criteria, prepare the advisory opinion, draft the petition and letters, and your attorney files it.
4 / 8
criteria met
minimum is 3
- Published material about you6 exhibits
- Judging3 exhibits
- Original contributions7 exhibits
- Critical role5 exhibits
- High remunerationComp data needed
- Flat fee
- $12,000
- Time to filing
- ~6 weeks
- Lottery or cap
- None
- Premium processing
- 15 business days
- Signed and filed by a licensed attorney
- One fixed fee — no hourly billing
- RFE responses included
- A candid assessment before you pay
Is the O-1A right for you?
It's the fastest route for founders and senior talent with a record of achievement — and a common first step toward a green card.
A strong fit
- Founders with funding, press or measurable traction
- Engineers and researchers whose work is recognized in their field
- Operators and early employees in critical roles
- F-1, OPT and H-1B holders who want to avoid the lottery
- People who need to start working in the US soon
Probably not yet, if
- Fewer than three criteria with solid evidence
- Most recognition goes to your company, little to you
- No US company or agent to file the petition yet
That's not a no. A US company you set up — or an agent — can file, and the record can grow. A $200 strategy review shows the gaps.
The eight criteria.
USCIS asks you to meet at least three. Founders often build on press, judging, original contributions, a critical role and compensation.
Quick self-check: tap the criteria you think you meet.
0 / 8
Tap the criteria that fit your record.
Or skip the list: a one-time major, internationally recognized award can qualify on its own.
A quick self-check, not a legal assessment. Only an attorney can judge whether your evidence meets a criterion.
From first call to filed petition.
About six weeks, most of it spent on evidence and the argument — not paperwork.
- 1
Week 1
Candid assessment
An attorney reviews your record against the criteria, and confirms who will file — your company or an agent.
- 2
Weeks 1–2
Evidence plan
AI maps every document to the criterion it supports and flags gaps. You get an exhibit index and a list of what's still needed.
- 3
Weeks 2–5
Letters and advisory opinion
We draft expert letters and the legal brief, and request the advisory opinion from a peer group in your field.
- 4
Week 6
Attorney files the I-129
Your attorney reviews, signs and files. If USCIS asks for more evidence, the response is included in your fee.
AI prepares the petition. Your attorney signs it.
Every O-1A petition is reviewed, signed and filed by a licensed immigration attorney who answers for it — and for the response if USCIS asks for more.
Meet the attorneys- AIOrganizes evidence and drafts. It doesn’t give legal advice.
- AttorneySets the strategy, writes the argument, signs and files.
- YouReview and approve everything before it’s filed.
Evidence, gathered once.
Start with what you have. We’ll tell you what each document proves — and what’s missing.
About you
- Résumé or CV
- Passport and current immigration status
- Offer letter or terms of your US work
Recognition
- Awards and the criteria behind them
- Press coverage about you
- Invitations to judge, review or speak
Impact
- Funding, revenue or adoption metrics
- Patents, publications and citations
- Evidence of your role — board decks, org charts, letters
Your company
- Formation documents and EIN
- Who files — your company or an agent
- 4–6 experts who know your work
Don’t send passports or documents through the website — we set up a secure channel once you start.
One fixed fee. Government fees shown separately.
$12,000
flat fee per petition
Extension or amendment: $8,000
- Criteria assessment by an attorney
- Evidence plan and exhibit index
- Expert letters and advisory opinion request
- Complete I-129 petition, filed by your attorney
- Request for Evidence (RFE) responses
- Initial filingFlat fee · RFE responses included
- $12,000
- Form I-129 filing fee
- $530
- Asylum Program FeeNonprofits pay $0
- $300
- Premium processingOptional · USCIS acts within 15 business days
- $2,965
- Visa stamping (if abroad)State Department fee, paid at the consulate
- Separate
Government fees are paid to USCIS or the State Department, not to Cooperative, and change from time to time. Some unions and peer groups also charge a fee for the advisory opinion — we'll tell you before you file if yours does. Figures as of October 2026.
After the petition is approved.
Approval comes as a notice from USCIS. How you start depends on where you are.
Petition approved
Inside the USChange of status
If you're in the US in valid status, the petition can ask USCIS to change your status — no need to travel.
Outside the USVisa interview
You apply for the O-1 visa at a US consulate, then enter the US with it.
Working in the US
How long you can stay
Up to three years at first, then extensions in one-year increments for as long as the work continues.
Your family
Your spouse and children under 21 can join you in O-3 status. They can study, but can't work.
O-1A, plainly.
Can my own startup sponsor me?
Yes. A US company you founded can file the petition, or a US agent can. Your attorney will recommend the structure that fits your situation.
Is there a lottery or an annual cap?
No. Unlike the H-1B, the O-1A has no lottery and no annual cap, so you can file at any time of year.
How long can I stay?
The first approval can last up to three years. After that, extensions come in one-year increments, with no overall limit as long as the work continues.
Can I apply for a green card while on an O-1A?
Yes. Filing an immigrant petition isn't a reason to deny an O-1. Many people use the O-1A evidence as the foundation for a later EB-1A or EB-2 NIW.
How long does it take?
We typically prepare and file within about six weeks. With premium processing, USCIS acts within 15 business days — an approval, a denial or a request for more evidence. If you're abroad, consulate wait times vary.
What if USCIS asks for more evidence?
Your attorney prepares the response, and it's included in your flat fee.
From our notes.
O-1A or EB-1A: Which Comes First?
The criteria overlap. The strategy doesn’t. How founders and senior talent should sequence a work visa and a green card.
Oct 1, 2026 · 8 minO-1AWhat “Extraordinary Ability” Actually Means
It isn’t about being famous. It’s about evidence — the eight O-1A criteria, and what each one looks like for founders and engineers.
Oct 1, 2026 · 9 minTechnologyWhat AI Can — and Can’t — Do in Immigration
Evidence mapping and first drafts: yes. Strategy, judgment and the signature on the filing: no. Where we draw the line, and why.
Oct 3, 2026 · 7 minStart your O-1A.
Tell us about your background. An attorney will tell you how strong the case is today — before you pay for a petition.
Cooperative is not a law firm. Legal services are provided by independent licensed immigration attorneys. AI tools assist with evidence organization and drafting; they do not provide legal advice. No attorney can guarantee the outcome of a visa or green card application — decisions are made by U.S. government agencies. Submitting a request or using this website does not create an attorney–client relationship.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.